


The hospital

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Robert Sugden's birthday bonanza [7]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Family Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Seizures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:26:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23867491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Robert's birthday doesn't go according to plan
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Robert Sugden's birthday bonanza [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711618
Comments: 1
Kudos: 47





	The hospital

As far as birthdays went, Robert’s 34th was definitely one of the best ones ever. At least it had started out that way.

Aaron had woken him up doing downright sinful things to him with his mouth, and then a repeat performance in the shower.

By the time they made it downstairs, there was a lavish breakfast on the table as well as some cards and presents.

“Victoria was just in here, she dropped that off.” Cain announced, nodding at a large chocolate cake in the middle of the table. “She said she’d stop by later for your birthday dinner or something.”

“Dinner?” Robert looked at Aaron who smiled.

“Yep. We thought it would be nice to have a family meal for your birthday. Vic and I are cooking and you get to sit back and enjoy.” he pressed a kiss to Robert’s lips. “Happy birthday.”

“I didn’t know it was your birthday.” Cain commented while trying to get Isaac to eat his breakfast instead of grabbing the cake.

“We told you. More than once. We even told you last night when we invited you to tonight’s dinner.” Liv snapped from her spot on the sofa. Seb was in her lap and gave her a shocked look. “It’s ok monkey, uncle Cain is just being an idiot.”

Robert tried to stop himself from laughing when he saw the look on Cain’s face. He picked Seb up from Liv’s lap so he’d have a buffer if Cain wanted to wipe the smile off his face.

“I have a business to run and 2 kids to raise, it slipped my mind.” he told Liv, before turning to Robert. “Well… happy birthday then I suppose.”

“Thanks… are you joining us for dinner later then?”

“Uh… maybe. I’ll see how busy things get today. I have to go now and take Isaac to Moira’s. Amy is taking Kyle to school right now.”

“Alright. Have a good day.” Robert said and made Seb wave goodbye to Cain and Isaac as they left the mill.

As soon as the door closed Robert and Aaron looked at each other and burst out laughing.

“I’ve never seen Cain that confused.” Aaron commented.

“Yeah I don’t think anyone has ever spoken to Cain Dingle like that and lived to tell the tale.” Robert said laughingly as he put Seb in his high chair and sat down too.

“Yeah, well, he was doing my head in…” Liv said shuffling over the table. “And happy birthday, Rob.”

“Thanks. Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale.”

“I’m fine. Just a little tired. Didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Just go back to bed for a while then.” Aaron suggested. “We’re having a lazy day anyway.”

“We are?” Robert asked.

“Yep.” Aaron said, popping the p and kissing Robert’s cheek as he walked past him to sit down at the table as well. “Jimmy has cleared both your schedules for the rest of the week so you can have some family time. It’s his birthday present to you.”

“Really? Did you hear that Seb? Uncle Jimmy has given us the day off. Maybe we can go for a walk later and have a game of football.” Robert said, pulling funny faces at Seb to make him laugh.

“That’s a good idea isn’t it Seb? We’ll have to let daddy win though, because it’s his birthday.” Aaron said with a grin.

Robert mock gasped at Seb.

“Oh no, daddy doesn’t realise I can beat him fair and square. And that I know his weak spots.” 

Seb looked back and forth between his parents, not entirely sure what was going on, but happy enough being the centre of attention.

“Do we have any aspirin?” Liv interrupted, rubbing her temple.

“I think so. Check the drawer.” Aaron told her. “Are you alright? Have you taken your meds today?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” she mumbled. “Just tired.”

“Why don’t you come with us on a walk around the fields? A bit of fresh air might do you good. Get rid of that headache.” Robert said, sharing a look of concern with Aaron.

“Yeah… maybe…”

She got up and rummaged around the drawer, muttering under her breath until she suddenly stopped and went rigid.

“Did you find it?” Aaron asked. “Liv?”

The girl didn’t reply but dropped to the floor and started shaking.

“Shit she’s having another seizure!” Aaron flew up from his chair and rushed over to her. “Call an ambulance!” he yelled at Robert who had dropped to his knees beside her, cradling her head in his lap to stop her from banging her head on the kitchen floor.

“My phone is charging upstairs!”

“Shit, shit, shit.” Aaron swore and looked around for his own phone before remembering he’d plugged it into the charger by the TV. He rushed over and yanked the plug out of the socket and dialled 999. “I need an ambulance, my sister is having a seizure. Mill Cottage, Emmerdale.”

By the time the paramedics arrived Liv had stopped shaking but she was still unconscious.

“You go with her.” Robert told Aaron as Liv was being strapped to a stretcher and wheeled outside to the ambulance.

“Are you sure?” Aaron asked, hesitating between wanting to go with his sister and stay with his husband on his birthday.

“Yes. Go. I’ll drop Seb off at Diane’s and meet you there as soon as I can.”

“Pack some clothes for her. She’s still in her pyjamas. She’ll want clean clothes.”

“I will.” Robert promised. “Now go. I’ll be right behind you.” he pecked Aaron’s lips and shoved him out the door.

A little over an hour later Robert rushed into A&E looking for someone who could tell him where to find Aaron or Liv.

He found Aaron pacing a waiting area and making the rest of the patients’ relatives nervous.

“Oh thank god you’re here.” he whispered as he let Robert wrap his arms around him.

“How is she? Do you know anything yet?”

“She woke up in the ambulance for a minute but she was all confused and started to panic so they knocked her out.” Aaron told him. “They told me to wait here when we got here and someone would come find me to update me on her condition. But that was ages ago and I haven’t heard anything yet.” he directed the last part at a nurse behind the desk a few meters away from him.

“Do you want me to see if I can get some info?” Robert offered but Aaron shook his head.

“I just… want you to hold me for a bit.”

Robert squeezed him a little tighter and dropped a kiss in his hair.

“I can do that.”

They sat down in the waiting area and after what seemed like hours a doctor came looking for Olivia Flaherty’s family.

She gave them an update on Liv’s condition and took them to her room.

“She’ll be asleep for a while but you can sit with her as long as you like. We’ll have to run some more tests so she’ll have to at least stay overnight… but she’s stable now.”

“I just don’t understand how this could happen.” Aaron said quietly after they’d settled in at Liv’s bedside and the doctor had left them to it. “She’s on her meds and she hasn’t had a seizure in ages.” he stroked her hair out of her face.

“I know. I guess that’s what the tests are for… maybe they’ll have to adjust her meds…” Robert suggested and squeezed Liv’s ankle. “But you heard the doctor. She’s stable now.”

“Yeah…” Aaron agreed, eyes firmly fixed on the monitor next to Liv’s bed.

As time passed Robert could tell Aaron was getting more and more anxious.

“I’m getting a bit hungry, do you mind getting me a sandwich or something from downstairs? Maybe a coffee too.”

Aaron looked at him like he’d gone mad.

“I can’t leave her.”

“I’ll be here. I have my phone. I’ll call you the second something changes.” Robert promised and gave Aaron his wallet. “Please? It is still my birthday. You have to be nice to me.”

That got a small hint of a smile from Aaron.

“Fine. I suppose I could do with something to eat too.”

“Maybe check in on Seb too? Matty took him to the farm.”

Aaron nodded and got up.

“I won’t be long.”

“We’ll be here.” Robert said and stretched and sat back in his chair a little as soon as Aaron had left the room. He wanted to be strong for both of them but he’d been just as scared and stressed as Aaron and it was starting to catch up to him.

A few minutes later Liv began to stir and Robert wondered if he should get a doctor.

“Hey you. How are you feeling?” He asked when she opened her eyes and focused on him. She rubbed her eyes and tried to sit up, making Robert rush over to help her.

“Ok I guess… Tired… A little sore. Did I fall?”

“Yeah. At home in the kitchen. Do you remember any of it?”

“A little… I think. I’ve just been so tired lately…” She told him and looked around the room. “Where’s Aaron?”

“He was driving me nuts so I sent him on a coffee run and to check on Seb..”

“Seb!” Liv’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t scare him did I? He was right there.”

“Don’t worry, he’s fine.” Robert assured her. “He’s used to the drama in this family by now.” he joked.

“Still…”

“I think the only thing that bothered him was that he couldn’t ride in the ambulance with you when they turned the sirens on. But then Matty offered to take him up to the farm on his quad and that was interesting enough too apparently.”

“I’m sorry for ruining your birthday, Rob…” Liv trailed off, focusing on a loose thread on the blanket. “I had a present for you and everything. I wanted to give it to you over dinner.”

“You can give it to me when you get home. All I care about now is that you’re ok.” Robert said, sitting down on the bed next to her and pulling her into a hug. “You didn’t ruin anything. And I’ll have another birthday next year anyway, it’s no big deal.”


End file.
